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Electricity and magnets – practice for Year 5

Sample questions on Electricity and magnets with the right answer and a worked solution, from easy to hard. In the Pickles Academy app a child gets new questions of the same kind every time, so they can't just learn the answers by heart.

Subject
Science
Year
Year 5
Curriculum area
Variety of nature

Question types: Conductor or insulator? · Magnets and electricity YES/NO

Rule: Electricity and magnets

Metals (copper, iron, aluminium) and even ordinary water conduct electricity. Plastic, glass, rubber and dry wood don’t.

A magnet attracts iron, nickel and cobalt. Like poles repel, opposite poles attract.

Example: A cable: a copper wire inside (conductor), a plastic coat round it (insulator).

Watch out: A magnet doesn’t attract every metal: it won’t pick up aluminium foil or copper wire.

Sample questions

  1. Question 1 Easy

    Which of these does not conduct electricity (is an insulator)?

    1. A) pencil lead (graphite)
    2. B) aluminium foil
    3. C) iron nail
    4. D) china mug
    5. E) steel spoon
    Show the solution
    Answer: D) china mug

    How it works: pencil lead (graphite) – conductor; aluminium foil – conductor; iron nail – conductor; china mug – insulator; steel spoon – conductor

  2. Question 2 Normal

    Decide whether each statement is true (YES) or not (NO).

    1. A switch breaks and completes a circuit.
    2. The north pole of one magnet and the south pole of another attract each other.
    3. A magnet has only one pole.
    4. A bulb in a circuit lights only when the circuit is complete.
    Show the solution
    Answer:
    1. A switch breaks and completes a circuit. – yes
    2. The north pole of one magnet and the south pole of another attract each other. – yes
    3. A magnet has only one pole. – no
    4. A bulb in a circuit lights only when the circuit is complete. – yes

    How it works: 1. YES 2. YES 3. NO – every magnet has a north and a south pole 4. YES

  3. Question 3 Hard

    Which of these does not conduct electricity (is an insulator)?

    1. A) steel spoon
    2. B) iron nail
    3. C) copper wire
    4. D) metal coin
    5. E) glass jar
    Show the solution
    Answer: E) glass jar

    How it works: steel spoon – conductor; iron nail – conductor; copper wire – conductor; metal coin – conductor; glass jar – insulator

Related topics

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